Creativity is an Attitude

The first time I saw the fishmongers at Pike Place Fish Market throwing salmon and crabs, I thought of fun and entertainment.

But it turned out the throwing was really an act of creativity. The way the market was laid out, when the guys made a sale, they had to walk 15 steps around the counter to get the fish and 15 steps back to ring up the purchase. One day, tired of walking, a fishmonger tossed the fish over the counter to a fellow employee. Eureka! A more efficient delivery method was created.

The fishmongers’ innovation is a good example of “everyday creativity.” It’s not exactly the invention of the light bulb or the personal computer, but it improved the business, attracted customers and made it more enjoyable to work there.

The fish guys didn’t invent fish throwing because owner John Yokoyama ordered everyone to be creative. It happened because they had a clear vision of the workplace they wanted to be—World Famous!—and trusted each other to figure out how to make it happen. People weren’t afraid to try something new.

So what can you do build that kind of culture?

First, encourage people to Play with ideas—whether it’s improving better service, processes or even relationships. Human beings are wired to be creative. Unfortunately organizations don’t always tap into that creativity. My dad once told me about a worker who had lots of ideas for improving the factory where he worked, but his bosses never asked him. “They hired my hands,” the worker said. “They could have had my brain for free.”

National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones, who made a great video called Everyday Creativity, once told me that creativity isn’t a magical gift that’s available only to a few. Creativity is an attitude and it’s available to anyone willing to take a fresh look at the everyday things we take for granted. With a new lens, angle or perspective, Jones says, you can look at the ordinary and see the extraordinary.

Second, Be There for people when they come up with new ideas. I was once in a brainstorming meeting and threw out a wild idea. (I thought that was what you were supposed to do in a brainstorm.) One of the other participants smirked and rolled his eyes. I tried to ignore him, but as the meeting went on I found myself being more careful and not very creative.

When people fear being criticized or ridiculed, they stop being creative. You don’t have to love every idea you hear but you can listen respectfully and defer judgment. Make Their Day by acknowledging them for proposing the idea, even if you think it’s not workable. Say: “What I like about that idea is that you _________ . . . (thought about the customer, for example). Build on their idea by suggesting how they might make the idea even better: . . . and what if we ___________ (building in more profit margin, for example). This technique makes it safer for people to offer ideas, knowing not every idea has to be perfect.

Third, choose an attitude of trust. When people try out new ideas, they may not work perfectly at first. But there’s a big difference between a careless mistake and falling short of perfection because you are trying to help people and improve the business. Southwest Airlines founder Herb Kelleher took this approach: “If you are leaning toward the customer, rather than away from the customer, we will forgive anything that you do.” At Southwest, they might talk about how to handle the situation differently next time, but they don’t berate people for trying to do the right thing.

Southwest has policies to ensure safety, but its employees are also led by clear values such as caring, service and respect. These values guide them in situations that don’t always fit neatly into “rules.” Because Southwest employees are not paralyzed with fear, they develop the judgment and creativity to make good calls in situations unforeseen by the rules.

How do you react to mistakes? Does your reaction strengthen relationships with your coworkers or damage them? Does it build people’s confidence or make them afraid to try anything new?

Eliminate fear in your workplace and creativity will naturally fill the vacuum. When people are given the freedom to be more creative, they may not start throwing fish, but they will certainly throw themselves into their work.